Being A Family
by potterfan2006
Summary: it’s the season of Yule but not all are celebrating. Elrond, his sons and Estel mourn the loss of someone close to them. Will Elrond be able to keep his family together? Short oneshot. Please R&R!


**Story Summery-** it's the season of Yule but not all are celebrating. Elrond, his sons and Estel mourn the loss of someone close to them. Will Elrond be able to keep his family together? Short one-shot. Please R&R!

**Being a Family:** **by potterfan2006**

The season of Yule was quickly approaching and the chaos was settling  
in. This was no different for the inhalants of Rivendell. Grand feasts and balls were being planned; elaborate decorations were being found and hung. None were calm except for one little boy that resided in the last homely house.

This was Estel's fourth Yule with the lord of Rivendell and the rest of his family but the first without his mother. He was eight years old and he felt terribly alone.

His mother left mere months ago for she could no longer deal with the grief that weighted heavily upon her soul. Estel could not wrap his young mind around what had happened but all he knew was that she was gone and never coming back. So here he was, sitting in his room, remembering all of the fun times that he and his family had with his mother.

He was pulled from his thoughts when there was a soft knock on his door. He looked up to see his foster father, Lord Elrond of Rivendell standing by his door. Elrond walked into Estel's room and came to sit down on the edge of his bed. He took in the site of his foster son. Estel had tear tracks on his face that told Elrond that Estel had been crying.

Elrond was concerned because he didn't know how deep the hurt that his mother leaving caused went. He wanted to make things right for Estel again but he knew that he could not. The only person that could do that was his mother but she wasn't coming back. The loss of her husband hit her hard and she found that she could no longer enjoy life without him. Elrond then did the one thing that he could do; he pulled Estel into his lap and let him cry on his chest. He just held him and rocked him while speaking comforting words to him.

Elrond was sitting there holding Estel for a little while when he heard  
some one else enter Estel's room. He turned his head slightly and saw  
that it was his son's Elladan and Elrohir. The twins came to sit down next to their Ada and put their hand on Estel's back, trying to offer what comfort that they could to their little brother. They knew better then anyone how Estel was feeling because they to had lost their mother at a young age. They still blamed themselves for that. They couldn't protect their mother and now they had failed to do the same thing for Estel's mother.

Elrond senescing a down turn in the twins' moods turned his head to look at them. He noticed a look of total despair on their faces and he instantly knew what they were thinking. He knew that they were blaming themselves for the loss of Estel's mother along with their own mother. Elrond knew that he had to do something to snap all of his sons out of their mood or he could risk loosing them all, just like he lost his wife - he did not want that to happen. So he decided he was going to restore hope to all of the members of his family.

Elrond and the twins just sat there for a while comforting Estel  
until Elrond noticed that Estel had fallen asleep. He got up off of the bed and laid little Estel down to get some much needed rest. Elrond tucked the blankets around him and placed a kiss on his brow. The twins came and did the same thing. The three elves then stood back to just look at Estel for a little bit. They then headed out of the room and went to Elrond's study for there was much to talk about.

Once there they all sat down in front of the fire and drifted into their own thoughts. It was a few minutes later when Elrond realized that he had put it off too long, the only way that he could help Estel is if he helped Elladan and Elrohir first. He had to help his sons deal with the loss of their mother before they could help little Estel with his loss. So Elrond got up and moved to sit on the floor in front of the couch that his sons were sitting on.

Once he was sitting in front of them he took his hands and rested them on his sons' knees. He looked them in the eyes to command their attention. Once he was sure that he had it he said,

"My sons absolutely none of this was your fault. It was Estel's mother's choice  
to leave and there was noting that any of us could have done to persuade her otherwise."

Elrond paused to find the next words that he knew he had to say.

"It is also not your fault that your mother left. The creatures that took her broke her spirit. We did every last thing that we could to save her but in the end she did what she thought was  
best for her and this family. That included leaving us for the time being. It was a hard choice for her to make but in the end it was the right one. We shall see her again one day my sons and she knew that. She would not want you to blame yourselves for anything nor do I blame you either."

After that heartfelt speech they all fell silent and just looked at one another. The silence was broken by a strangled sob that escaped Elrohir's throat. He put his hands over his face trying to stop the tears but they just kept coming.

Elrond got up swiftly from the floor and sat on the other side of his crying son and held him close. Elrohir let the tears fall freely then, safely tucked away in his Ada's arms. It had been so long since Elrond had last held one if his twins sons to comfort them. He sat there with his arms around his sobbing son while gently rubbing soft circles on his back in a comforting manner.

While he was doing that he looked over a little to look at his other son Elladan to see if he was ok. What Elrond saw was a site to behold. Elladan had his head down just looking at his hands. He noticed that his hands were wet from tears. Elrond took his free hand and reached over and brought Elladan over to him. He held both of his twin son's close. Elrond then gave both of his sons a kiss on the head and he knew that they were not completely healed – but it was a start.

The three of them just sat there, the twins being held by their father  
and Elrond just offering comfort that was long over due.

A little wile later Elrond heard his study door open. He looked up to see that his youngest had awoken and was standing just inside of the door. He motioned for him to come in which Estel quickly did.

Estel walked over to where the rest of his family was sitting and just stood there because the couch was quite full. Elrond then reached down and picked up his littlest son, putting him on his lap. They all sat in silence and Estel leaned back, his head on his Ada's chest. His eyes closed but he did not fall asleep, he just wanted to enjoy the feel of having his father and brothers around him.

They sat there for some time drawing comfort from each other. Elrond  
let a small smile grace his lips as he took in the scene around him.  
All three of his sons were there seeking comfort from each other's  
presence.

He then knew that he could not wait any longer. He wanted to wait until the Yule celebration to give his sons their gift but he knew that this was the perfect time to give all his sons their one  
special gift.

Elrond stood up and gently sat Estel down were he was just sitting. He then walked over to his desk and pulled out three small boxes all wrapped in silver paper with a blue ribbon and a blue bow.

He then walked back over to his sons and gave then each a box. Elrond's sons each took a box out of his hand and held on to it waiting for an explanation. When none was forth coming they unwrapped the boxes and opened then to reveal a gold chain with a peace of a Jade stone hanging off of it.

Elrond then reached down into the neckline of his tunic and pulled out the very stone that the smaller ones came from. Elrond then sat down in front of them and explained,

"I wanted to wait until the Yule celebration to give these to you but now seemed like a better time for this."

Elrond paused for a moment and then spoke again.

"The stones that you all hold are cut from this very stone that I am wearing. They mean that we are all family no matter what race we are. They are also a symbol to us that no matter what the problem, we will always be there for each other no matter what."

Elrond then stood back up and took his three sons in his arms gave them all a kiss on the head and wished them all a merry Yule.

**The End**

Notes- as always I do not own any thing that is Lord of the Rings the late JRR. Tolkien does I am just using them for fun and I will give them back mostly unharmed. I would like to thank my Beta Krillball6 (Jessi) for all her hard work looking over my stories and making them that much better you are the greatest Jessi thanks for being a good Beta and Friend. This is my Holiday Gift to you. Have a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.


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